Filed under: Foodie Swellness
When you work freelance like I do, and you make your own schedule, it can be both a blessing and a curse. Sure, if I want to take the afternoon off because it’s a gorgeous sunny day, I can…but it also means I’m always juggling my schedule and fitting in meeting, events, fitness and a social life however/whenever I can.
As much as a 9-to-5 job can be a drag, sometimes I envy the structure it gives your life. Although that does mean you have to cram everything else outside of those hours, doesn’t it? So life can get chaotic for all of us–whether it’s kids, fitness, travel, friends, work–we all have times we feel like we’re just struggling to stay ahead of it all.
How do I juggle my responsibilities and make it work? It’s not rocket science by any means but here are three ways I’ve found have helped make my busy schedule more manageable.
Snack on the go. I try to eat three meals a day, and snack as needed depending on my workouts and how hungry I am. But sometimes i legitimately forget to include time to grab a meal because I’ve scheduled my day to run from one meeting to another. And often, since I’m not a morning person, I’m running out the door trying to get to an early workout or event, and I haven’t eaten a thing. This is why ready-to-go snacks like Good & Simple Muffins and Bars are a staple in my house. I’m partial to the Bars (they’re just easier to eat and I find they taste slightly less sweet than the muffins); Walnut and Grains is my fave but the Blueberry Oatmeal is a close second. Made with real ingredients such as whole grains (in the blueberry oatmeal bar, for example, there’s 13 grams of whole grains in each bar) and no artificial flavours or colours, Good & Simple offers a wholesome and tasty quick way to fuel up quickly and when you’re on the move.
Create some routine to your day to day. While I love making my own schedule (although I do curse that very same thing when I’ve taken a few hours off in the day to go to a sample sale and I’m typing away on my computer at 2 a.m.!) , going through each day with zero structure can be taxing mentally. So I try to have some routine to my day: I try to do a quick journal entry morning and night (this is still a work in progress), and now walking my recently adopted dog, Billie Jean, a minimum of three times a day helps me break up my schedule into distinct chunks of time, which makes managing my time easier to do.
Find a calendar that works for you. My smartphone calendar is my bible. I use the Informant app to keep track of my events, meetings, phone calls, deadlines, workouts, appointments and plans with friends. It’s all colour-coded, and I’m very, very lost without it and refer to it a few times a day. I didn’t find the iCal had all the functionality I wanted, which is why I purchased Informant. Before I bought it, I was forgetting about deadlines from time to time. It remains the most expensive app I’ve ever bought but it was worth it (and that’s even without using it to its full capabilities, I still need to learn how to make use of all of its features).
I’d love to know if you have ways to streamline your busy life! And in the meanwhile, to learn more about Good & Simple, which are now available in Ontario, here.
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July 27, 2017
Traveling is a passion of mine but after a whirlwind couple of years in and out of town, I definitely need to balance it with quality time at home in Toronto. And even though I spend a lot of time escaping the city, there is definitely a lot to love about TO. If a friend who had never visited Toronto, what would I take them to go see in Toronto? Here’s my personal guide to some of my favourites in the 6 for those who’ve never been to T.O. (and if you’re planning on booking a trip, be sure to use this booking.com link to get a discount on your travel booking!).
Visit the CN Tower. Yes, it’s touristy (possibly the most touristy thing), but these attractions are popular for a reason. I’ve done the CN Tower Edgewalk, and it’s thrilling and fun if you’re not scared of heights, but even just going to get the view of the city on a clear day, it’s fantastic. I’m a sucker for that sort of thing, though; have been up the Empire State Building as a kid, and to Vancouver Lookout. the SkyDeck in Chicago, and Sky100 in Hong Kong. Nothing like the breathtaking views of the city below you to remind you that you are just a small speck in this big beautiful world of ours.
Tour Casa Loma. I think I became enamoured with Casa Loma as a teen reading a YA book and the characters went to Casa Loma on a date. And then I finally got the chance to visit it when I moved to Toronto. I have been back once or twice for events, and I just love that there’s this magical little castle in the middle of the city. I bet you’ll fantasize about being of royal descent and living there, just like I maybe (totally) have.
Run along the Lake Shore. Or walk or bike. Not all of it the route pretty, but how can you not love the pretty pink beach umbrellas at Sugar Beach or the phenomenal view of the downtown skyline from the new Trillium Park and William G. Davis Trail (which is just off of the Lake Shore trail)?
Eat. Eat. Eat. One of the things I feel so fortunate about living here is the wealth of good food we have here. I don’t go to very many places regularly because there are so many options, but some spots off the top of my head that you should try: go for a burger and fries at the beautiful Café Cancan (it’s the pretty pastel nistro pictured above); go with an empty stomach to Bar Raval and eat as many tapas as you can (even better if you’re a bigger group so you can try as much as the menu as possible); have dim sum at Rol San in Chinatown; carb load at Buca downtown (their pizzas — especially the burrata pizza, oh my gosh, so good — and pastas are simply beyond; that’s their carbonara pictured below); do a little taco tour and hit up Grand Electric, La Carnita and Campechano; stop into Momofuku Noodle (it’s in the Shangri-La Hotel, which is one of my favourite hotels to stay in when I travel, their service is always top notch) for some pork belly bao and to slurp up a bowl of ramen.
Hike in Rouge Valley National Park. The Rouge Valley Park is a new discovery for me. It’s outside of the core, but there’s now Parkbus that’ll get you there. I know when I travel to cities, it’s busy and noisy and sometimes I just need a half-day to decompress. Getting out into some nature and solitude is what works best for me, and the park is green and pretty.
Not motivated to drive an hour to Rouge Valley? Stay central and pop over to Trinity Bellwoods Park or to High Park for a summer picnic.
Now, ready to book your next trip? Here’s how you can save some money:
Inspired to go travel, whether it’s to come here to Toronto, or anywhere in the world? Well, here’s a little gift for you: book through www.booking.com using this exclusive link (it’s my exclusive refer-a-friend link), and you’ll get a $40 discount from your reservation. That money you save could go towards a great meal, or tickets to a show, or whatever you choose to do on your adventures!
www.booking.com
And I’d love to hear about your travels! I’m always looking for wanderlust inspiration!
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July 24, 2017
Last week, I attended the Grey Goose Sunset Soiree in Toronto. I had so much fun at lunch and the party at night last year on the island, that I knew I didn’t want to miss this party!
This year, the dinner was an intimate picnic held at a private home on the Bridle Path, complete with fountain and vintage car at the entrance.
Chef Justin Kent was flown in from Paris to prepare the elegant picnic. At his restaurant by the Eiffel Tower, he provides custom picnic baskets packed with everything you need, which sounds just wonderful, I must get back to Paris and do this!
After cocktail hour, we all settled on the picnic blankets and nibbled on cheese and charcuterie, and sipped the refreshing wine cocktail (which was made with Grey Goose Original, Martini Rosso, Gabriel Boudier Créme de Cassis, POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice, Beetroot Juice and mineral water).
It was the main course of poulet au moutard that stole the show, though. I normally find chicken quite boring, and it’s not something I’d typically order at a restaurant, as I often find chicken bland (I mean I’ll have it in a gyro or fried, but I’ll pretty much never order the chicken breast entree). En moutard, though, and juicy chicken thighs? So flavourful. I had to get the recipe! I don’t have any photos of the dish because we pretty much all dug right into the meal, heh heh. Here is how to make this lovely chicken dish, I plan to make it for my next picnic in the park. Chef Justin’s noted that the sauce works as an insulator to help keep the meat warm for longer, meaning you can enjoy a warm picnic lunch!
Poulet en Moutard
• 10 chicken thighs (skin on, deboned)
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 cup cream
• 150g grain mustard
• 150g lardons
• ½ banana shallot (diced)
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme
• Fresh parsley (chopped for garnish)
• Salt & pepper (to season)
1. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
2. In a pan on medium-high heat, sear the chicken thighs, skin side down in oil until crisp and golden brown. Flip and
sear on the other side until lightly caramelized.
3. Remove the chicken thighs from the pan and set aside on a plate.
4. Add lardons to the pan and cook until crisp.
5. Add shallots to the pan and cook until translucent.
6. Add the grain mustard and stir for 30 seconds being careful not to let it burn.
7. Deglaze the pan with white wine, bring to a simmer and reduce by half.
8. Add cream and bring to a simmer.
9. Add the smoked paprika.
10. Place the chicken thighs back in the sauce and cook on medium to medium-low heat, covered, until fork tender.
11. Remove from the sauce and place onto the plate to serve.
12. Spoon sauce over the top of the chicken and garnish with chopped parsley.
Makes 5 servings.
They set off white geese balloons at dusk, and we sipped Grey Goose cocktails in this gorgeous green backyard on the warm summer night (we lucked out with the rain holding off!).
Now having attended two stellar summer parties with Grey Goose, I can’t wait to see what next year’s soiree is!
June 20, 2017
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